“Nay, sahib.  That I would not.  I would strike north.  And I would strike so swiftly that the mutineers would wonder whence I came.  In Jailpore, all is over.  They have done the harm, and they are in charge there.  They have the powder-magazine in their possession, and the stands of arms, and the first advantage.  Leave them there, then, sahib, and strike where you are not expected.  In Jailpore you would be out of touch.  You would have just that many more miles to march when the time comes—­and it has come, sahib!—­to join forces with the next command, and hit hard at the heart of things.”

“And the heart of things is—­”

“Delhi!”

“You display a quite amazing knowledge of the game.”

“I am a soldier, sahib!”

“You would leave Jailpore, then, to its fate?”

“Jailpore has already met its fate, sahib.  The barracks are afire, and the city has been given over to be looted.  Reckon no more with Jailpore!  Reckon only of the others.  Listen, sahib!  Has any message come from the next command?  No?  Then why?  Think you that even a local outbreak could occur without some message being sent to you, and to the next division south of you?  Why has no message come?  Where is the next command?  The next command north?  Harumpore?  Then why is there no news from Harumpore?  I will tell you, sahib.”

“You mean, I suppose, that the country is up, in between?”

“You know that it is up, sahib!”

“You think that no message could get through to me?”

“I know that it could not!  Else had one already come.  My advice to you, sahib, as one soldier to another and tendered with all respect, is to up and leave this Bholat.  Here, of what use are you?  Here you can hold a small city, until the countryside has time to rise and lay siege to you and hem you in!  Outside of here, you can be a hornet-storm!  They will burn Bholat behind you.  Let them!  Let them, too, pay the price.  Swoop down on Harumpore, sahib—­join there with Kendrick sahib’s command.  There make a fresh plan, and swoop down on some other place.  But move, quickly, and keep on moving!  And waste no time on places that are already lost.”

“Then you would have me leave those women and that child, that you tell me of to their fate?”

“Nay, sahib!  I am not of your command.  I have done my duty to the Raj, and I now go about my own business.”

“And that is?”

“To repay a debt that I owe the Raj, sahib!”

“Your answers are rather unnecessarily evasive, Juggut Khan.  Be good enough to explain yourself!”

“I ride back to Jailpore, sahib.  I would have stayed there, but it seemed right and soldierly to bring through the news first.  Now, I return to do what I may to rescue those whom I hid there.  I owe that to the Raj!”

“You mean that you will ride alone?”

“At least half of the distance, sahib.  I had a favor to ask.”